Electrically-heated flat-iron.



0.1. MADSEN. ELEGTRIGALLY HBATBD PLAT IRON.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1912.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

UNITED sfiuafrzns Param: oFFIcE.

CHARLES P. MADSEN, OFYCHICIAVGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRICALLY-HEATED FLAT-IRON.

S-pecicetioniof Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

Application tiled April 3, 1912. Serial N o. 688,224.

To all @hom 'it may concern Be 1t known that I, CHARLES P. MADSEN, acitizen of the UnitedStates of America,

.and a-resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illiparts, all of which arey of simple construction and which are capable of being quickly and cheaply made; to provide animproved construction of the interitting faces of said parts; to provide improved construction and arrangement of the heating unit in the iron; to provide simple and improved means for securing the parts of the iron in their assembled positions; to provide improved means forv securing the heating unit in the'iron;` to provide improved means for connectingthe conductors to the heating unit; and to provide improved means for supporting'the conductor cords adjacent to the iron.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of .an electrically heated flatiron constructed according to this invention the section being taken on the line A-A of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation of the -same taken on the line B-B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top `plan view of the base showing the arrangement of the resistance ribbon therein, the insulating compoundbeing omitted. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail, as viewed from below, of one point of the body member.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the atiron comprises the base member l, in which the heating unit 2 is housed, and the body member 3 secured to the base member 1 by means of the stud 4 and nut 5. The base and body members are respectively provided with triangularly shaped interfitting lugs 1A and` notches 3A at both ends which coact to secure `the members against shifting when clamped together.

The base member l has the inner part recessed nearly 13o-extensively with the area thereof wherebythere isv provided an up.- standing flange. 6 around the entirey outer edge ofthe member. The heating unit 2,

which is housed within the recess, comprises resistance ribbon 7 arranged as shown and embedded in an insulating body or compound 8, preferably of the kind which when moist is plastic, and when the moisture evap- .orates becomes hard. This compound is comparatively friable and necessitates means for firmly securing the heating unit within therecess. In electrically heated irons heretofore equipped with heating units in which the Lresistance ribbon or wire is embedded in an insulating compound of this nature, no

-sliitablemeans have yet been provided for properly securing the unit within the iron and protecting the insulating compound. In this device the heating unit 2 is secured Within the recess in the base member 1 by meansA of an insulating pad 9 which is of rigid construction, and preferably formed of asbestos. The pad is substantially similar in shape and co-extensive in area to the recess in the base l and therefore bears directly upon the entire face of the insulating compound 8 of the heating -unit as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The pad is 4secured at its center andvcaused to bear upon the heating unitby means of a nut l0 and washer 11 placed upon the stud et. The body member 3 is also recessed to provide a downwardly disposed iange 12 extending around the .outer edge thereof, `and also to provide an internal shoulder 13 extending around the interior of thevbody which bears upon the edge of the pad when the body member 3 `is-clamped to the base member 1, thereby causing the pad to more firmly bear upon the heating unit 2, and hold it under pressure,

Heretofore considerable difliculty has been encountered in electrically heated flatirons in the deterioration of the connections between the conductors and the resistance ribbonl or wire of the heating unit. If the resistance wire is run 'to the top of the iron and connected directly with the conductors, heat will be generated at the top-surface of the iron, and in time will destroy the copper at and adjacent to the connection. If, on the other hand, the conductors be run down through the atiron and connected into the heating unit, the edect is still worse, since the high temperature in the heating unit has a still greater tendency to destroy the copper. Attempts-have been made to overcome these disadvantages by the use of an intermediary conductor of some alloy or other metal interposed between the resisteso` ance wire of the heating unit and the conductors, but whether such a joint be mechanical or soldered, the same conditions exist to a more or less extent. All of these disadvantages are satisfactorily overcome by means of the connection which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. This connection is made between the respective ends of the resistance ribbon 7 and the copper wires 17 of the conductor cords 18 within the rigid insulating tubes 14. The tubes 14 are preferably constructed of asbestos and extend into the body member 3 and through the pad 9 to the heating unit, as shown in Fig. 2. The ends of the resistance ribbon 7 are led up through the respective tubes to the copper wires 17, and the ends of the ribbon and wire overlapped. Auxiliary conductors 19 are used in completing each of the connections of the resistance wires and the conductors. One end of an auxiliary conductor 19 is coiled closely around the overlapping ends of the resistance ribbon 7 and copper wire 17. This auxiliary conductor 19 is then spirally wound around the resistance ribbon 7 down through Vthe tube into the heating unit andv the lower end thereof coiled closely around the resistance ribbon, as indicated at 20 in Fig. 2. The auxiliary conductors are of considerably greater conductivity thanvthe resistance ribbon 7 and at the same time possess sufcient resistance power to the heat generated by the heating unit. The joints are then hard soldered at the said closely coiled ends of the auxiliary conductor 19 and it is evident that should either of the joints fail there will still be conductivity through the other.

A handle 21 has a yoke 22 which is provided with a suitable aperture 23 whereby the yoke is adapted to rest upon the top of the body member 3 with the stud 4 protruding through said aperture, the yoke being secured to said body member and stud by means of the nut 5.

A conductor cord support is arranged for vsupporting the conductor cords 18 adjacent to the iron. This support comprises an arm 24 at'the upper end of which is formed a yoke 25 adapted to embrace the conductor cords 18. The lower end of the arm 24 is bent at an angle and provided with an aperture 26 whereby it may be placed over the stud 4 above the vyoke 22' of the handle 21, and rigidly secured to the iron by means of the nut 5, a washer 27 being interposed between the nut 5 and arm 24. A depending lug or shoulder 24 bears against the yoke 22 and secures the support against shifting. A helical spring 28 embraces the conductor cords 18 adjacent to the support and prevents excessive bending of Athe conductor cords.

The operation of the device is, of course,

obvious and a description thereof need not be recited.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:-

1. In an electrically heated latiron, the

inner part thereof recessed nearly co-extensively with the area thereof; a heating unit embedded in an insulating compound and housed in said recess; a body member; rigid means for clamping said body memberto said base member; and other rigid means actuated by and through said body member when the latter is clamped to said base member for securing said heating unit in said recess.

3. In an electrically heated flatiron, the combination of a base member having the `inner part thereof recessed: a heating unit embedded in an insulating compound and' housed in said recess; a body member; a central stud and coacting means arranged for clamping said body member to said base member; a rigid insulating pad similar in shape and substantially equal in area to` said recess; a nut intermediately positioned on said stud and arranged to be screwed down upon said pad centrally thereof; and shoulders on said body member adapted to bear upon said insulating pad when said members are clamped together, for securing said heating unit in said recess.

4. In an electrically heated flatiron, the combination of a base member and a body member adapted to be clamped together; a heating unit housed within said member, said heating unit comprising resistance wire embedded in an insulating compound; an insulating tube extending from said heating unit to the exterior of said iron; electric conductors adapted to be connected to the sourceof electricity; the ends of said resistance wire extending through said tubes from said heating unit and respectively joined to said conductors, and an lauxiliary conductor extending through each of said tubes and respectively connected at its ends to said resistance wire within said heating unit and to the juncture of said circuit conductors and resistance ribbon.

5. In an electrically heated latiron, the combination of a base member and a body member adapted to be clamped together; a heating unit housed Within said members,

said heating unit comprising resistance Wire embedded in an insulating compound; an insulating tube extending from said heat-` ing unit to the exterior of said iron; electric conductors adapted to be connected to the source of electricity; the ends of said resistance Wire extending through said tubes from said 'heating unit and respectively joined to said conductors; and an auxiliary conductor of relatively dilerent conductivity and heatendurance extending through each of said tubes and respectively connected at its ends to said resistance Wire Within said heating unit and to the juncture of said circuit conductors and resistance ribbon.

. said conductors; and an auxiliary conductor coiled about said resistance Wire in each of said tubes and having the -ends thereof respectively connected to the resistance Wire Within said heating unit and to the juncture of said circuit conductors and yresistance ribbon.

7. In an electrically heated flatiron, the combination of abase member; a heating unit housed Within said base member; a body member adapted to be secured to said base member; a stud centrally located on said base member and protruding to the exterior of said body member; means on said stud for clamping said body member to said base member; conducter cords adapted to be connected to said heating unit, and a supportV for said conductor cords comprising an arm having a yoke at its upper end embracin said cords and having its lower part shape to engage said stud inward of 'said clampingV means.

8. In an electrically heated atiron, the combination' of a base member having a heating unit housed therein, a body member formed to fit upon said base member and having a central perforation, a handle for said iron having a part thereof resting upon said body member and provided with an aperture in registry With the said body perforation, a stud centrally located on said body member and protruding through the said perforation and aperture, and a nut carried by said stud and adapted to simultaneously clamp said handle to said body member and said body member to said base member.

9. In an electrically heated latiron, the combination of a base member; a heating unit housed Within said base member a body member adapted to be secured to said base member; a studv centrally located on said base member and protruding to the exterior of said body member; a handle for said v iron having a part thereof resting upon said body member and provided With an aperture for receiving said stud; and a nut carried by said stud and adapted to simultaneously clamp said handle to said body member and said body member to said base member; conductor cords adapted to be connected to said heating unit, and a support for said conductor cords comprising an arm having a yoke at its upper end embracing said cords and having its lower part shaped Y to engage said stud inward of said nut.

10. In a device of the class described, a base member having an upwardly projecting stud thereon and substantially integral therewith, a body member formed to fit upon said base member and perforated to receive said stud, a' handle member` havlng an. apertured portion arranged to 11e closely against the upper side of the member W1th its aperture in alinement with said studto receive the same, and means coactmg with said stud for forcing said handle member and body member tightly together agalnst said base member for holding said parts together.

Signed at Chicago this 27th day of March 1912.

CHARLES P. MADSEN. 

